“It was the most magnificent sight I ever saw,” says Driver W. Cryer, R.F.A., who witnessed the Lancers go into action.  “They rode at the guns like men inspired,” declares another spectator, “and it seemed incredible that any could escape alive.  Lyddite and melinite swept like hail across the thin line of intrepid horsemen.”  “My God!  How they fell!” writes Captain Letorez, who, after his horse was shot under him, leapt on a riderless animal and came through unhurt.  When the men got up close to the German guns they found themselves riding full tilt into hidden wire entanglements—­seven strands of barbed wire.  Horses and men came down in a heap, and few of the brave fellows who reached this barrier ever returned.

The 9th Lancers covered themselves with glory, and this desperate but successful exploit will live as perhaps the most stirring and dramatic battle story of the war.  The Germans were struck with amazement at the fearlessness of these horsemen.  Yet the 9th Lancers themselves took their honors very modestly.  “We only fooled around and saved some guns,” said one of the Four Hundred, after it was over.  He had his horse shot under him and his saddle blanket drilled through.

Captain F.O.  Grenfell, of the 9th Lancers, was the hero of an incident in the saving of the guns.  All the gunners had been shot down and the guns looked likely to fall into the enemy’s hands.  “Look here, boys,” said Grenfell, “we’ve got to get them back.  Who’ll help?” A score of men instantly volunteered—­“our chaps would go anywhere with Grenfell,” says the corporal who tells the story—­and “with bullets and shrapnel flying around us, off we went.  It was a hot time, but our captain was as cool as on parade, and kept on saying, ‘It’s all right; they can’t hit us.’  Well, they did manage to hit three of us before we saved the guns, and God knows how any of us ever escaped.”  Later on Captain Grenfell was himself wounded, but before the ambulance had been brought up to carry him off he sprang into a passing motor-car and dashed into the thick of the fighting again.

The 18th Hussars and the 4th Dragoon Guards were also in these brilliant cavalry engagements, but did not suffer anything like so badly as the 9th Lancers.  Corporal Clarke, of the Remount Depot, which was attached to the 18th Hussars, thus described their “little scrap” with the German horsemen near Landrecies:  “We received orders to form line (two ranks), and the charge was sounded.  We then charged, and were under the fire of two batteries, one on each side of the cavalry.  We charged straight through them, and on reforming we drove the Germans back towards the 1st Lincoln Regiment, who captured those who had not been shot down.  We had about 103 men missing, and we were about 1,900 strong.  The order then came to retreat, and we returned in the direction of Cambrai, but we did not take any part in the action there.”